CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP automatically backs up the control file and SPFILE following any backup command e.g. BACKUP DATABASE.
CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP is a configuration parameter. The default value is OFF.
To enable controlfile autobackups use:
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP ON;
The destination and file name format for the controlfile autobackup can be specified. For example:
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO '/u01/app/oracle/backup/TEST/%F';
A snapshot control file is created at the start of a backup to preserve a consistent version of the control file in case the database structure is modified during the backup.
The location of the snapshot control file is a configuration parameter. For example:
CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO '/u01/app/oracle/backup/TEST/snapcf_TEST.f';